Tuesday, November 17, 2015

The Agudah Convention, an Insider's View

Those who read this blog regularly know that I have my
issues with the Agudah. But they will also know that I still consider Agudath Israel of America to be an asset to the Jewish people. My issues are usually in the form of
disagreeing with the opinions of their rabbinic leadership on various issues -
mostly based on our differing Hashkafos. And they will know that I nevertheless have
great respect for them as rabbinic leaders. Disagreement does not equal disrespect.

It is with this in mind that I offered a self described ‘active card
carrying member’ of Agudah who attended their recent annual convention to
report on what he saw. This should not be seen as any endorsement of what they
said, nor should it be seen as disagreement with it. It should only be seen as
an insider’s honest perspective. He submitted the following guest post
yesterday which I present in full. Needless to say, if there is any disagreement
or criticism offered in the commentary, it should be done in a respectful
manner. I will not tolerate any mean spirited comments. His words follow.

I am a regular reader of Rabbi Maryles’s blog, and although
we do not always agree, I do appreciate his insights and very thoughtful
essays.

Full disclosure, although for various reasons I am remaining
anonymous, Rabbi Maryles knows who I am. I am what one would describe as a card
carrying active member of Agudath Israel, and I attended the convention held
this past weekend in Stamford CT.

As two of the topics discussed at length by the convention
were topics that have garnered much discussion on this blog recently, namely
kids going OTD and Open Orthodoxy, Rabbi Maryles was gracious to allow me to
share some thoughts heard at the convention

When the convention program was first released to the
public, and it was revealed that there would be a major session on kids going off
the Derech (OTD), Rabbi Maryles lamented the fact that a personality such as
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz was not part of that panel. While I have no idea if he
was invited or not and was not present at the conclave, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the Agudah CEO, in his keynote
address did reference Rabbi Horowitz and said that it was from that very podium
of the convention some years back, where Rabbi Horowitz first mentioned the
problem of "kids at risk".

The actual speakers at the session were Rabbi Dr. Yitzchok
(Jerry) Lob, a psychologist from Chicago, Rabbi Mordechai Becher a senior
lecturer for gateways and Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Rav of the Agudath Israel Bais
Binyomin Shul in Flatbush., formerly a Rav in Minneapolos, MN.

All three speakers at
the session stressed in one form or another importance of giving time and
attention to kids as one of the main ways to prevent kids from going OTD.
Surprisingly there was very little talk of kids going off for emotional or
intellectual reasons.

Rabbi Lob told a poignant story about Rabbi Zev Cohen who on
his way to shul one Shabbos crossed a street to stop into a park where kids were
hanging out. None of the boys were wearing yarmulkes and many of the girls were
dressed in a manner that a person like Rabbi Cohen would not want to see. Nevertheless
he walked over to a boy without a yarmulke smoking a cigarette, told him Good
Shabbos, it’s great to see you and gave him a hug all while the kid still had a
cigarette in his hand. He then gave the same greeting (sans the hug) to many of
the girls as well. Dr. Lob said that one of the kids was his client and
lamented to him that if only every Rabbi would show the love of Rabbi Cohen he
would have turned out differently.

Dr. Lob also shared his own experience as a fifth grader
where he had a Rebbi that was so cruel to him, he actually wished this rebbe
would die. In a similar vein, Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein, in another session
over Shabbos, recounted how he was beaten in the third grade, Both Rabbis Lob
and Wallerstein felt that it was actions like those that turn kids OTD, and how
fortunate we are that both of them were able to rise above it and become the
accomplished people that they are.

Rabbi Mordechai Becher from Gateways stresse three important
points. 1) to allow kids to ask questions 2) to not put down others 3) to teach
basic emunah from an early age.

In the keynote session on Motzei Shabbos the Sadigura Rebbe from
Israel Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Friedman ( who grew up in the US and speaks perfect
English) touched on the same theme. He related how he was once sent to test a
class of 13 and 14 year olds on maseches kiddushin. Before he asked them the
questions he had prepared he asked a few basic ones.

He asked one boy why do
you wear tefillin and the boy said because my father bought them for me.
Another boy said he keeps Shabbos because that's how they do it in his
house. He realized how so many boys are not aware of the basic elements
of yiddishkeit and felt that is a reason why they go OTD.The rebbe related how
the Sefer HaChinuch, written about 800 years ago, writes in his introduction
that he is teaching taamei hamitzvoth so children should not go astray

There was also discussion on open orthodoxy. The Novominsker
Rebbe in his address (delivered via video, as he was in Israel for the wedding
of a grandchild) referred to the “apikursus of that new malignancy called open
orthodoxy".

There was even a special session devoted to it Friday night
with Rav Aaron Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisroel of Baltimore and Rabbi
Aaron Lopiansky Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedola of Greater Washington in Silver
Springs. Rav Feldman explained some of the rationale behind the recent psak of
the Moetzes which does not recognize OO rabbis as a need to draw a line in
light of the many questionable rulings and thoughts that have emanated from
this movement. Rav Lopinasky related
that seven shuls in the Greater Washington area already have OO rabbis.

Someone asked Rav Feldman why if there are perhaps 100
students at YCT, why should we even care. After all there are probably 100
kids born in Lakewood each week. The Rosh Yeshiva answered that those
in the Brooklyn, Lakewood, Monsey corridor are often unaware of what goes on
out of town, but that many shuls are
looking to hire YCT graduates, as they subsidize their salary for the first
year and it is becoming a real threat.

He gave an example by using their approach to Akeidas
Yitzchok which he says has become a favorite Rosh Hashonoh drasha with many expressing
the sentiment that Avrohom went to far. In an article in Hamodia he quotes Sara
Hurwitz (first Rabbah) as saying 'Avraham's willingness to sacrifice Yitzchok
went too far... and is unrecognizable from the Avrohom we encountered up to
this point".

Said Rav Feldman “Consider
that based on this test Hashem called him a "yirei elokim (fearer of God) and
promised great things for his descendants, how can we even begin to question
Avrohom’s actions in the Akeida, which plays such a central role in
Yidishkeit, It is one of the reasons we blow Shofar on Rosh Hashonoh, and indeed Avrohom’s willingness to sacrifice his
son plays such a central role in our Tefillos on Yomin Noraim especially the
bracha of Zichronos on Mussaf of Rosh
Hashonoh which is primarily based on the akeida.

As the session was on Shabbos, there is of course no video
of it, but suffice to say it certainly garnered much reaction.

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About Me

My outlook on Judaism is based mostly on the teachings of my primary Rebbe, Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik from whom I received my rabbinic ordination. It is also based on a search for spiritual truth. Among the various sources that put me on the right path, two great philosophic works stand out: “Halakhic Man” and “Lonely Man of Faith” authored by the pre-eminent Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi, Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Of great significance is Rabbi, Dr. Norman Lamm's conceptualization and models of Torah U’Mada and Dr. Eliezer Berkovits who introduced me to the world of philosophic thought. Among my early influences were two pioneers of American Elementary Torah Chinuch, Rabbis Shmuel Kaufman and Yaakov Levi. The Yeshivos I attended were Yeshivas Telshe for early high school and more significantly, the Hebrew Theological College where for a period of ten years, my Rebbeim included such great Rabbinic figures as Rabbis Mordechai Rogov, Shmaryahu Meltzer, Yaakov Perlow, Herzl Kaplan, and Selig Starr. I also attended Roosevelt University where I received my Bachelor's Degree - majoring in Psychology.